Dog rescue is a sad and dark place but as a rescuer regardless of all the horrible things you see... the abuse, the neglect, the death, the ones you can't help, the mean and cruel people... you deal with it for the dogs. You put on a happy face and you deal. This blog is to help one dog rescuer deal and hopefully show other rescuers they are not alone, even though it feels like that most of the time.

Friday, December 18, 2015

I Found Him, Mom (Heaven Sent)

My son, Brandon Austin, loved all animals. There was a special place in his heart for dogs, and he wanted to save every stray with which he came in contact. We dubbed him "The Dog Whisperer" because he had a way with even the most unapproachable dogs. He said, “You just have to love them enough, and they will love you right back”. Had I given in to him, we would have had more animals than people in our home!
His dad had a golden retriever m...ix that lived until he was sixteen. We had gotten divorced when Brandon was seven, and "Puppy" went out of state to live with his dad. From that moment on, Brandon began with his endless pleas to find another one "just like Puppy". We started our search, but until we had a stable home in which to live (rather than an apartment), I kept saying, "Soon, Brandon, soon."

Due to a tragic accident, I lost Brandon last year. I was, and still am devastated, as he was my heart. To honor his memory, I have spent hours helping whatever animal rescue groups I can. I am very active online, with Facebook being one of my key ways to find out about various agencies. It has brought me comfort, and hope, to carry on my son's legacy in this way.
One day, while scrolling through my news feed, I came upon the Multiple Breed Rescue (MBR) Facebook page. I was shocked to see ‘Brandon Austin likes this page’. Was this a sign? The picture, of course...a golden retriever/Chow mix!! Nothing like that had happened before in all of my months of online searches. What were the chances that I would happen across this rescue? MBR is based in Ohio, and I am from Rhode Island, so I wasn't sure how that was going to work. But I could not ignore what was happening. It was like my son was showing me what he wanted me to do.
I filled out an application online, and held my breath. I remember thinking, ‘well, if it is meant to be, it will all work out’. I got an email reply within 24 hours. Within the next few days, references were checked, and I became the "mommy" to Little Austin. I was ecstatic! I flew to Ohio, met his wonderful foster mom, and then drove home to RI with my new, very nervous, fur-baby! One of the requirements of Multiple Breed Rescue is that you have to register the microchip within a certain time frame. When I called to do this, the man on the phone told me Little Austin’s birthdate, as he had been registered before: Little Austin has the same birthday as my son, Brandon! It's as if Brandon was reaching out to me. He knew I needed saving and someone to whom I could give my love! From heaven, Brandon said, "I found him, Mom!" And I believe with all my heart, he did!

**** This was written by an adopter of the rescue I run. She submitted to PetCo to help us win a grant. WE DID! And I wanted to share the story***